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Delhi Capitals Hire England Great Ian Bell as Assistant Coach for IPL 2026

Delhi Capitals have appointed former England international Ian Bell as their new assistant coach for the IPL 2026 season. Bell, a highly accomplished batter, brings coaching experience from roles with England's development sides and the Sri Lankan Test team. He will join a coaching group led by Director of Cricket Venugopal Rao at the franchise. The move aims to add fresh perspective after the Capitals narrowly missed the playoffs in the 2025 season.

Key Points: Ian Bell Appointed Delhi Capitals Assistant Coach for IPL 2026

  • Former England star's first IPL role
  • Brings international coaching experience
  • Part of new-look Capitals coaching staff
  • Aims to improve on 2025 playoff miss
2 min read

IPL 2026: Delhi Capitals appoint Ian Bell as assistant coach

Former England batter Ian Bell joins Delhi Capitals as assistant coach for IPL 2026, bringing international coaching experience to the franchise.

"Bell's arrival signals the franchise's intent to add fresh perspective and experience."

New Delhi, Feb 10

Delhi Capitals have strengthened their support staff ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026 campaign by appointing former England international Ian Bell as their new assistant coach. The franchise announced the appointment via their official social media channels on Tuesday.

Bell, one of England's most accomplished batters of his generation, brings a wealth of experience to the role despite never having been part of an IPL setup before. Across an illustrious playing career, he represented England in 118 Tests, 161 ODIs and eight T20 internationals before retiring from professional cricket in 2020. His move to the Capitals marks his first involvement in the league in any capacity.

Since stepping away from playing, Bell has steadily built an impressive coaching resume. He has worked closely with England's Lions and Under-19 sides, contributing to player development at multiple levels of the national pathway. More recently, he served as the batting coach for Sri Lanka's Test team during their 2024 tour of England, gaining further exposure at the international level.

Bell has also had stints with other international teams, including a short assignment with the New Zealand men's side during their tour of England in the lead-up to the 2023 ODI World Cup. In franchise cricket, he has experience in The Hundred, where he previously served as assistant coach for Birmingham Phoenix in the men's competition.

At Delhi Capitals, Bell will become part of a coaching group led by Director of Cricket Venugopal Rao, alongside head coach Hemang Badani and bowling coach Munaf Patel. His appointment follows a change in the backroom staff, with Australian coach Matthew Mott serving as assistant coach during the 2025 season.

The Capitals endured a mixed IPL 2025 campaign, starting strongly before losing momentum and finishing fifth on the points table, narrowly missing out on qualification for the playoffs. Bell's arrival signals the franchise's intent to add fresh perspective and experience as they prepare for the 2026 season.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

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Shreya B
As a DC fan, I'm excited! Fresh perspective is exactly what we need after missing playoffs last season. Bell has worked with young players in England, which is perfect for our squad with talents like Prithvi Shaw and Yash Dhull. Hoping he brings some of that technical excellence to our batting unit! 💙
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Aman W
Good to see DC thinking differently. International experience matters. But the real test is handling the madness of the IPL - the travel, the different pitches, the fan frenzy. Coaching in The Hundred is one thing, this is another level. All the best to him!
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Priyanka N
Solid appointment on paper. His work with Sri Lanka's Test team showed he can adapt to subcontinent conditions. My only worry is the language and cultural barrier with some of our local uncapped players. Hope the support staff bridges that gap effectively.
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Vikram M
Finally some positive news for DC! We have the firepower in the team, just need the right guidance. Bell alongside Munaf Patel for bowling and Badani sir for overall strategy looks like a balanced think tank. 2026 trophy loading... please! 😅 #Yellove
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Kriti O
Respectfully, I would have preferred if they gave this opportunity to a former Indian player with deep IPL knowledge. We have so many legends who understand our cricket ecosystem better. But let's see, maybe an outsider's view will work wonders.

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